Bucket

ABSTRACT

A bucket with a closed bottom with one or more cutouts, indentations or spaces along the outside circumference (or perimeter) of the bottom of the bucket, configured to allow a user to insert his or her fingers therein while the bucket is sitting upright on a surface, such as the ground, a floor, a tabletop, a countertop, or the like. The user moves his or her hand in an upward direction, causing the bucket to rotate or flip in the air. By varying the speed, power, angle, and other factors, the user may cause the bucket to rotate 180 degrees and land on its top, 360 degrees and land on its bottom, or greater than 360 degrees to land on its top or bottom depending on the number of rotations.

This application claims benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional App. No. 63/358,743, filed Jul. 6, 2022, which is incorporated herein by specific reference for all purposes.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to an improved bucket for flipping in a game or contest.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention comprises a bucket with a closed bottom with one or more cutouts, indentations or spaces 10 along the bottom. The bottom and top are shown in the figures as circular, but in alternative embodiments they may be shapes other than circular, e.g., oval, square, rectilinear, pentagonal, hexagonal, and other forms of polygons. The configuration of the bucket with bottom cutouts allows the bucket to be more easily flipped by a user, such as participating in a game where flipping a bucket is an element or goal of a game, contest, or similar activity.

One or more cutouts or spaces are spaced along the outside circumference (or perimeter) of the bottom of the bucket, and are configured to allow a user to insert his or her fingers therein while the bucket is sitting upright on a surface, such as the ground, a floor, a tabletop, a countertop, or the like. The surface may be, but is not required to be, a smooth, flat surface. The cutouts have inner walls that separate the cutout space from the interior of the bucket (i.e., fluids in the bucket do not flow out through the cutout spaces).

After inserting his or her fingers in one of the cutouts, the user moves his or her hand in an upward direction, causing the bucket to rotate or flip in the air. By varying the speed, power, angle, and other factors, the user may cause the bucket to rotate 180 degrees and land “upside down,” i.e., resting on its open top (“top down”), with the bottom facing up. Similarly, the user may cause the bucket to rotate 360 degrees and land on its bottom again (“bottom down”). The user also may cause the bucket to flip or rotate more than 180 or 360 degrees.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front perspective view of a bucket in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a side perspective view of the bucket of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 shows a top view of the bucket of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 shows a cutaway perspective view of the bucket of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 5 shows a bottom perspective view of the bucket of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 6 shows a side perspective view of a bucket in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a front view of the bucket of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 8 shows a section view (A-A) of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 9 shows a side view of the bucket of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 10 shows a bottom view of the bucket of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 11 shows a top view of the bucket of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 12 shows a side perspective view of a bucket with a different cutout configuration.

FIG. 13 shows a front view of the bucket of FIG. 12 .

FIG. 14 shows a section view (A-A) of FIG. 12 .

FIG. 15 shows a side view of the bucket of FIG. 12 .

FIG. 16 shows another side view of the bucket of FIG. 12 .

FIG. 17 shows a bottom view of the bucket of FIG. 12 .

FIG. 18 shows a top view of the bucket of FIG. 12 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention comprises a bucket 2 with a closed bottom 6 with one or more cutouts, indentations or spaces 10 along the bottom. The bottom and top are shown in the figures as circular, but in alternative embodiments they may be shapes other than circular, e.g., oval, square, rectilinear, pentagonal, hexagonal, and other forms of polygons. The top and bottom may have the same shape, or have different shapes. The configuration of the bucket with bottom cutouts allows the bucket to be more easily flipped by a user, such as participating in a game where flipping a bucket is an element or goal of a game or similar activity.

As seen in FIGS. 1-18 , one or more cutouts or spaces 10 are spaced along the outside circumference (or perimeter) of the bottom 6 of the bucket 2, and are configured to allow a user to insert his or her fingers therein while the bucket is sitting upright on a surface, such as the ground, a floor, a tabletop, a countertop, or the like. The surface may be, but is not required to be, a smooth, flat surface. The cutouts 10 have inner walls that separate the cutout space from the interior of the bucket (i.e., fluids in the bucket do not flow out through the cutout spaces). The bucket may be made of plastic, aluminum, or similar material.

After inserting his or her fingers in one of the cutouts 10, the user moves his or her hand in an upward direction, causing the bucket 2 to rotate or flip in the air. By varying the speed, power, angle, and other factors, the user may cause the bucket to rotate 180 degrees and land “upside down,” i.e., resting on its open top 4, with the bottom facing up. Similarly, the user may cause the bucket to rotate 360 degrees and land on its bottom again. The user also may cause the bucket to rotate more than 180 or 360 degrees.

A bucket 2 may have a single cutout 10 along the bottom that extends for some or all of the circumference of the bottom of the bucket. Alternatively, a bucket may have two or more cutouts 10 along the bottom that extend for some of the circumference of the bottom. Multiple cutouts 10 may be evenly spaced around the bottom, as seen in the figures (which show four evenly-spaced cutouts), but may be unevenly spaced, or combinations thereof. Multiple cutouts may be equal in length, height and depth, or may vary in length, height and depth. In the latter case, the variations may be to accommodate different user hand sizes, or to create different degrees of difficulty (e.g., a smaller cutout with reduced length, height and/or depth may require more skill and finesse to flip the bucket than a larger cutout).

In several embodiments, the bucket has an open top with a flat circumference 4 without a handle or handle tabs extending upward, as these would interfere with the bucket landing on its open top 4. In alternative embodiments, holes or openings 24 may be placed around or proximate the circumference of the top 4 in place of a handle to help facilitate the lifting and carrying of the bucket.

The bucket is shown as a truncated cone (i.e., the diameter or circumference of the top is larger than the diameter or circumference of the bottom), although the bucket may also may be shaped so that the top and bottom have equal or approximately equal diameters or circumferences (e.g., cylindrical). The bucket may also be a reversed truncated cone, with the top having a smaller diameter or circumference than the bottom.

In further embodiments, liquid level indicators 30 may be placed on the inside and/or outside of the bucket to help ensure proper liquid volume amounts in the bucket. As seen in FIGS. 4 and 8 , these indicators may be water indicator circles located on the interior of the bucket.

Thus, it should be understood that the embodiments and examples described herein have been chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of the invention and its practical applications to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited for particular uses contemplated. Even though specific embodiments of this invention have been described, they are not to be taken as exhaustive. There are several variations that will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for a flipping game or contest, comprising: a bucket with a top and a bottom, wherein the bottom has an outer perimeter; at least one cutout in the outer perimeter of the bottom, said at least one cutout having a depth extending a distance inward.
 2. The device of claim 1, where there are at least two cutouts.
 3. The device of claim 1, where there are at least four cutouts.
 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the cutouts are the same size, and are equally spaced around the outer perimeter.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one cutout has a height and length sufficient to receive the ends of a user's fingers.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the bottom is closed and the top is open.
 7. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one opening in a side of the bucket proximate the top.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the top is flat.
 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the top does not have a handle or tabs extending above the plane formed by the edge of the top.
 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the top is circular with a first diameter, and the bottom is circular with a second diameter.
 11. The device of claim 10, where the first diameter is greater than the second diameter.
 12. The device of claim 10, where the first diameter is equal to the second diameter.
 13. The device of claim 10, where the first diameter is less than the second diameter.
 14. The device of claim 1, wherein the top is polygonal in shape, and the bottom is polygonal in shape.
 15. The device of claim 1, further comprising one or more liquid level indicators on the inside and/or outside of the bucket.
 16. A method for playing a game with a bucket, comprising: providing a bucket according to claim 1; placing the bucket on a surface with the bottom in contact with the surface; inserting, by a first user, one or more fingers on a hand of the first user into a cutout in the bottom of the bucket; and moving, by the first user, his or her hand in an upward direction, causing the bucket to flip or rotate in the air.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of determining success if the bucket lands in a pre-determined position.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the pre-determined position is top-down.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the pre-determined position is bottom-down.
 20. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of filling the bucket with a liquid. 